Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
The nurse is caring for a patient who is a devout Orthodox Jew. The
patient is on a patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) pump. What
accommodations might the nurse have to make to conform to the
patient's cultural needs?
a.
Ask the patient whether he will need alternative forms of
medication for the Sabbath.
b.
Ask the patient specific questions because Jews tend to be stoic
regarding pain.
c.
Medicate the patient "around the clock" instead of as needed
("prn").
d.
Understand that Jews believe that suffering is a consequence of
actions in a previous life. -
correct answer ✅A
Orthodox or Observant Jews may not use electrical equipment
during the Sabbath and on Holy Days; therefore, the staff should
program the patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) to achieve optimum
pain relief. Alternative methods will be needed during these times.
,CNST Chapter 16: Pain Management
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
Cultures vary regarding when to recognize pain, what words to use
in expressing pain, when to seek treatment, and what treatments
are desirable. Russians, Asians, and Native Americans tend to be
stoic, whereas Italians, Puerto Ricans, and Jews tend to be more
expressive. The nurse should ask the patient about his preferences.
Some Hindu patients believe that suffering is a consequence of
actions in a previous life. For example, a belief in the concept of
Karma motivates the patient to bear the pain, refuse pain
medications, and suffer in silence. Some Jews view pain as a
communal suffering that they should share with others to affirm
their life experience.
The patient is admitted with chronic pain. She states that nothing
takes the pain away totally, but that "Dilaudid works best." The fact
that the patient calls the medication by name should alert the
nurse to:
a.
suspect that the patient is drug seeking.
b.
expect that the patient may need smaller doses than normal.
c.
assess the patient's acceptable level of comfort.
,CNST Chapter 16: Pain Management
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
d.
accept the fact that nothing will help this patient's pain. -
correct answer ✅C
It is important to assess the patient's acceptable level of comfort so
that both you and the patient are striving for the same outcome.
Some patients with prior pain conditions can alert the nurse to
pain-relieving measures that were successful. Patients with
chronic/persistent pain are often familiar with the names and
actions of medications, including opioid medications. This should
not cause you to view the patient negatively or with suspicion.
Patients currently receiving opioids for chronic pain often require
higher doses of analgesics to alleviate new pain. Do not accept that
"there is nothing that will help this patient's pain." Learn the
institutional policy for how to proceed in this situation.
The nurse frequently must assess a patient who is experiencing
pain. When assessing the intensity of the pain, the nurse should:
a.
ask whether there are any precipitating factors.
b.
question the patient about the location of the pain.
, CNST Chapter 16: Pain Management
Exam Questions and Answers (Latest
Update 2026)
c.
offer the patient a pain scale to objectify the information.
d.
use open-ended questions to find out about the sensation. -
correct answer ✅C
Descriptive scales are an objective means of measuring pain
intensity. Use a pain intensity scale appropriate to the patient's age,
developmental level, and comprehension, and ask the patient to
rate the pain. An appropriate pain rating scale is reliable, easily
understood, and easy to use, and it reflects changes in pain
intensity. Asking the patient what precipitates the pain does not
assess intensity, but rather assesses the pain pattern. Asking the
patient about the location of pain does not assess the intensity of
the patient's pain. To determine the quality of the patient's pain,
the nurse may ask open-ended questions to find out about the
sensation experienced (e.g., "Tell me what your pain feels like").
This approach assists in identifying the underlying pain mechanism
(e.g., somatic or neuropathic pain), but it may not reveal intensity
or changes in intensity.